The Irish standard., 1887-03-19

LIE DA Il ~ lGhI1 l. nAlO\
waited on you, Right Reverend Sir, in
accordance with time honored custom
to re-attest their allegiance to the faith
which Patrick brought, and their 10y
atty to the land from which they or
their fathers have come. To-day, in all
the quarters of the globe, is transpir-
ing spectacle which is unique in his
tory. The children of a sad race scattered
to the four winds of heaven by violence
and wrong, separated from the old
land by distance and by time, with
spirits yet nnfaltering and hopes un-
shaken are turned on this st. Patrick s
Day with reverent gaze to the Green
Island of the sea to pledge anew their
sympathy and love. In every language
and from every zone ascends the prayer
Tor her to-day from hearts that after
seven centuries of martyrdom for God
and Country are still unbroken and un-
bought. Earth has no parallel to de-
votion 50 unseltish and love SO profound.
We honor today the memory Of that
the great Saint who brought our fathers
the priceless gift of faith. Fourteen
hundred years have rolled away since
the the missionary landed upon the
Irish coast anG preached to willing
hearts the glad message Of the Gospel,
Alone Of all the nations Erin shed no
drop of the herald's blood, but bowed
down in worship Of the tribune, God.
That failh has survived the torture of
the most cruel rack that ever mangled
and twisted a nations limbs-and it is
to-day as fresh and warm as were the
green fields of Erin when they smiled a
gracious welcome to the missionary's
bark. When we recall with pride
that seeks no pardon and needs none,
the struggle Of our race for it's religion,
we find that the associations of this day
embrace the whole life of our people.
This is our National, as vel! as our re-
ligous holiday. They who would take
away our right to worship God were
the same who robbed us Of our heritage
Of self f-government, the free mans in
alienable right. The same hand that
would level our affairs to the dust struck
down the liberties Of our ancient ma
tion. Patriot, as we'll as saint. do we
commemorate to-day, the present as
we'll as the past. We reverence not
only the memory OF him who lies in the
triple grave at Downpatrick, but we
haYe prayer and a tear for every one
of the countless host of martyrs who, on
battlefield or scat1old, in dungeon or in
famine have offered Up their lives in
the holiest cause that ever sanctified
humanity. We tender our homage to
all the patriot dead, to those unnamed
and unremembered here below, but
immortal in the land beyond the skies,
Ito those whose deeds have lit up the
history of our race with splendid and
undying light. We commune to-day
with the spirits of Wolfe Tone and Of
Owen Roe O'Neiil,-we stand beside
that silent and unlettered tomb in Glas-
nevin, and by the urn within he pre-
cincts of the holy city where rests the
broken heart Of O'Connell. We are
with the men who died in Ninety Eight
and with the gallant spirits who in
Ferty Eight the prison hulk bore to
Van Dieman's Land. We recall the
knightly virtues of William Smith
O'Btien, and finger lovingly and long
beside the mound where sleeps the
noblest rebel of them all. the fearless,
the unconquerable John Mitchell. But
it is not to the dead alone that our
hearts go out to-day. The glorious heri-
tage OF the past, with it's sad and tender
memories is not our only thought,
for we and in contemplation of the
living present, bright with hope and
promise. Never was a holier fight
waged in the sacred cause of human
liberty than that which the Irish peo-
pie. backed by the sentiment of the
civilized world, are to-day conducting
never a nobler band Of patriots than
they, who in the halls of Westminster
are to-day proclai>ning in tones heard
around the world their demand for Irish
Independence. Our hearts and prayers
are this moment with Dillon, Sexton
and Parnell--and with that great Com
moner, the peoples tribune and un-
crowned King, indomitable Michael
Davitt. Eight years have not passed
away since Michael Dayitt came forth
from his prison cell and unfurled the
banner Of land reform. The result of
eight years peaceful and constitutional
agitation is before us to-day-the Irish
race, united as they never were before,
cheered on by the hearty sympathy and
generous material aid of this great
American people, reinforced by Scot
land and Wales, supported by two
fifths of the British House of Commons
and led by that great English states